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Red_Zeke wrote:Does that stone walkway the wizard is standing on link up with any other terrain? It kind of looks like it could connect to something else, but I can't think of any kits that it would link to.

I was thinking that too. I would be quite pleased with a set of disperate, interconnecting pieces, sorta like the Garden's graves.

Looks nice. I'd be stocking up on all of their terrain sets if they hadn't decided to do the whole Southern Hempsphere thing...

yeah...skulls don't make things cool...they make it look like it was designed by a 13 year old

Sidstyler wrote:Can you spot the difference?

Of course, but that's hardly a fair comparison. The artwork is on a much larger scale, for a start. The model has to be (a) practical and (b) on the same scale as the minis and the other terrain pieces (and there seems to be some scope for interchangeability).

It's also worth remembering that GW don't expect you to build it exactly the way it's supplied - look at the amount of kitbashed WHFB terrain they've displaued. If there's something you don't like, change it. Unless you've become such passive consumers that you expect everything to be given to you exactly as you want it. Yes, the huge skulls are silly to many of us, but there are also a lot of nice features.

Well its nicely made and the size is certainly impressive.

Yet i prefer a generic terrain that can go with any army.

Tailgunner wrote:It's also worth remembering that GW don't expect you to build it exactly the way it's supplied

Are you sure about that? If that really was the case then the kits would be more modular and more generic (like the Cities of Death stuff). This is the opposite end of the spectrum here.

Am i the only one that thinks over sized skulls on GW scenary makes the piece look like a cheap children's toy?

If everything was left small and intricate, it really gives a feeling of extra details.

H.B.M.C. wrote:

Tailgunner wrote:It's also worth remembering that GW don't expect you to build it exactly the way it's supplied

Are you sure about that? If that really was the case then the kits would be more modular and more generic (like the Cities of Death stuff). This is the opposite end of the spectrum here.

I think that's because they seemingly are moving away from the 'generic' pieces (at least for Fantasy) and moving more towards a specific theme/locale.

Dreadstone Blight, etc all seem to have been built under the assumption of them being a single locale within the Warhammer world.

If you think about it generic modular building don't really work in pre industrial settings.

You would expect each building to be at least slightly different in the Warhammer world.

I have made generic fantasy housing from foamcore and balsa, simples. Having "bespoke" special buildings and centre pieces ready to go is quite handy.

Could have been amazing, ruined by stupid skullz! Sigh. And worse, people defend the skullz. I dunno, maybe I'm no longer the target demographic for warhammer.
Wish they were a separate piece.

Tailgunner wrote:If there's something you don't like, change it. Unless you've become such passive consumers that you expect everything to be given to you exactly as you want it. Yes, the huge skulls are silly to many of us, but there are also a lot of nice features.

Have you seen the size of those things? Assuming they're actually molded into the walls you'd end up with giant, flat, skull-shaped sections on each side, and while you can always try to green stuff a brick pattern to match the surrounding wall, it'll still stand out and won't look anywhere near as good as if they had just made the walls normal brick walls to begin with.

I'll forgive them if the giant skulls are optional, but judging from the pic I doubt it.

Da Boss wrote:Could have been amazing, ruined by stupid skullz! Sigh. And worse, people defend the skullz. I dunno, maybe I'm no longer the target demographic for warhammer.
Wish they were a separate piece.

We're not. But I seriously don't see how even 12-year-olds can think stuff like this is cool. Even when I was a kid I didn't think putting skulls on everything made it "better". I mean if it's done tastefully or makes sense in context, yeah, but an observatory (presumably owned by a wizard of some type) isn't really something I would expect to be covered in giant skull decorations that literally cover the entire walls, built on top of rocks with giant skeleton sculptures carved into them just because.

I literally feel like we're being trolled, like GW saw the sarcastic "lol skullz" posts on forums, and then got pissed off and decided to waste money making awful-looking kits just to spite us. "Oh yeah, you like that? Here's some fething skulls for you, jackass! Have fun paying us $90 for that kit and then wasting hours shaving half the plastic off of it!"

That's just my opinion though, and no offense to anyone who does like it since I assume you probably have plans to "fix" that stuff. I'm just saying I personally wouldn't want to bother with it.

Da Boss wrote:Could have been amazing, ruined by stupid skullz! Sigh. And worse, people defend the skullz. I dunno, maybe I'm no longer the target demographic for warhammer.
Wish they were a separate piece.

Giant skulls are the least of the problems.
I'm baffled that no one has brought up the fact the whole observatory part is only touching a small rockspire that couldn't even be able to support a small wooden outhouse.
the Stone observatory is just hanging there in the air, supported by couple of small sticks and wooden bridge.

If the observatory was on top of a big mountain, or attached to a big honking castle from side, it would look ok and plausible. Now it just looks weird hanging there.

Sidstyler wrote:
I'll forgive them if the giant skulls are optional, but judging from the pic I doubt it.

That is what I was wondering if those skulls are separate and optional.

I'm going to be more interested in how these components might integrate with the existing kits.

LunaHound wrote:Am i the only one that thinks over sized skulls on GW scenary makes the piece look like a cheap children's toy?

If everything was left small and intricate, it really gives a feeling of extra details.

even smaller skulls would "fit" a tad better but I just make my own terrain, and keep it skull free

It's always possible the panels are reversible so you don't have to show the skulls, but who knows.

GW terrain seems to to be less and less customizible these days, especially the one off made in China stuff.

The best bet would be to hang banners over them.

Actually I love this new terrain, but I guess, I will leave the skull walls out (think they are separate, otherwise a knife will do) , making it a bit shorter, but okay for an observatory.
Edit: Like this one posted by N810 over at Warseer:

Worst case, I'm sure you can reverse the walls and then use plasticard and green stuff to make a textured brick wall on the other side.

Hell, you can get the stuff used to make Zimmerit on Panzer models too.

My point is still the same.
GW can do without making everything "MOAR SKULLZ"

It doesn't matter if people can fix it by plasticard or greenstuff, just stop adding skulls to everything.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:

The best bet would be to hang banners over them.

Aye, this is what I was thinking, if not reversable, or not attached of course. Will also probably layer rocks over the thing in the base.

Great dissapointment. The drawn art it supposedly looks like had me really exited about this, but the leaked picture is just awful.
I can only agree with other remarks about ornaments looking silly and out of place (especially the skeleton on the rock base); about the oservatory looking unbalanced on that pointy rock; and most of all the unreasonable failure to execute a really, really cool idea for actual scenery. Darn it to heck, it depress me to think how nice this ought to have been. I dont even play fantasy battle and still felt the urge to get an astonomers lair, had they done it right.

Well, I guess its special enough to make some people exited, and Im truly happy for those guys, just really dissapopinted at my own expectations I guess.


Edit: By the way, anyone who dont like the large skulls on the observatory might be able to use the options for "crenelated battlements" to cover up/exchange the "skull walls" (but it looks like the battlement option still has skull walls, indicating that skulls are not optional in any way)

Seriously hate the skulls. It's not even funny anymore.

Really loving that tower. Think I may just have to splurge and pick that up.. more excited about this than all the necron stuff I've been waiting a decade for...

Now I can relive my childhood with a GW official Castle Greyskull

Darkness wrote:Now I can relive my childhood with a GW official Castle Greyskull

Don't even joke, I've already been tempted to have a Necromancer wearing a skull mask for my Vampires.

Skeletor demands fealty!

I HAVE THE POWER!!!!!!!!!

I don't think trying to be like old Masters of the Universe playsets is a good thing, though.

Well, not until our models start looking like pride parade rejects.

Sidstyler wrote:I don't think trying to be like old Masters of the Universe playsets is a good thing, though.

It's not necessarily a bad thing either.

Castle Greyskull was flippin' awesome.

It was flipping awesome for all of 15 minutes before by bro fell on it xmas day :(

Funny thing is, Castle Greyskulls has LESS skulls than this and most of GW's latest terrain. Sad really when you think about it.

A few years back I was thinking of going looking for my old Castle Greyskull to use in Warhammer, but I thought "No, it will look too cheesy". Little did I know. Little did I know.